Versäumte

Versäumte is a German term that can function as a verb form and, in some contexts, as a nominalized participle. It derives from the verb versäumen, meaning to miss, neglect, or fail to attend to something, such as a deadline, appointment, or opportunity. In its finite form, versäumte is the Präteritum (simple past) for ich, er/sie/es in statements like ich versäumte, er versäumte; auch wir versäumten, ihr versäumtet, sie versäumten. The corresponding past participle is versäumt, used with haben to form the perfect: ich habe versäumt, du hast versäumt, er hat versäumt, usw. As a attributive adjective, versäumte can modify nouns to express that something has been missed: eine versäumte Frist, eine versäumte Gelegenheit, eine versäumte Zahlung.

The noun form das Versäumte is a relatively formal or literary way to refer to the things that have been missed or left undone, often in a reflective or retrospective sense. It contrasts with das Versäumnis, a more common noun that denotes a failure, omission, or fault in a broader, sometimes more formal or institutional context.

Usage notes and examples:

- Er versäumte den Bus. (He missed the bus.)

- Sie hat die Frist versäumt. (She has missed the deadline.)

- Das Versäumte kann oft nachgeholt werden, aber nicht immer. (What was missed can sometimes be made up, but not always.)

- Das Versäumnis der Behörde führte zu Verzögerungen. (The omission by the authority led to delays.)

Related terms include versäumnis (omission/fault), versäumen (to miss), and phrases like eine versäumte Gelegenheit or eine versäumte Zahlung.

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